Like many immigrants, Carlos Vergara came to the United States in search of a better life for his family. His dream -- a quality education for his sons -- was foremost on his mind when the Vergaras made the journey from Colombia to Cleveland. In the end, it was a partnership with his oldest son Juan that returned the favor.

Greg Murray is capturing the true essence of Cleveland through the people who live and work here. As an HR manager and amateur photographer, Murray has set out to capture 100 of Cleveland’s most interesting characters on film for a portrait album he began on August 11.

“I love Cleveland and thought it would be a fun project to undertake,” says Murray. “Our people make our city what it is, so it was an easy choice to focus the project around the people of this city and Northeast Ohio.”

Born and raised in Cleveland, Murray spent seven years in Chicago and Atlanta before returning in 2007. He now has a new appreciation for the city.

“I have a huge amount of passion for our city. I like to support it and show it off with my photography,” he says. “This project is just one way of doing that. We’re nothing without the people that make this city what it is.”

Murray has about 15 portraits in his collection so far, and hopes to add two or three new images each week. His favorite so far is of Samad Samad, a street performer in Ohio City

If given the opportunity to photograph anyone -- living or dead -- Murray goes the political route with Stephanie Tubbs Jones and Dennis Kucinich. “She loved Cleveland and the people she represented," he says of Tubbs Jones. "She was truly an amazing woman. I’d really like to capture Dennis Kucinich. He’s such an interesting person.”

But mostly, Murray wants to shoot average Clevelanders who make the city special. “In the end, I'm not only searching for notable Clevelanders,” he says. “I'm looking for everyday people that call the area their home, are passionate about our city, have a story, or whose work is to continue to make Cleveland a great place."


Source: Greg Murray
Writer: Karin Connelly

"We're taking boarded-up schools in Cleveland's neighborhoods and bringing them back to life," says Alan Rosskamm, CEO of Breakthrough Schools. "This is about keeping families in the city." With a lofty goal of opening 20 new charter schools by 2020, Breakthrough is on a mission to provide quality education to Cleveland students regardless of zip code. Opponents, on the other hand, argue that charters create a two-tiered education system that siphons off the best students.

A group of residents in the Shaker Square-Larchmere community of Cleveland have organized the second Neighborhoods of Shaker Square Home Tour to promote the neighborhood's many amenities and raise funds for a legacy project in the community.

The home tour will take place on Saturday, September 17th from 2:00 to 6:00 p.m. The event will highlight the neighborhood's varied housing stock, showcasing single-family and two-family homes, luxury condominiums and apartments.

To attract tour-goers to "live, work and play" within the neighborhoods around Shaker Square, event organizers are touting not only the unique homes within the area, but also the art, antique, restaurant and entertainment establishments in the Shaker Square and Larchmere commercial districts.

In a press release, organizers also cite amenities such as a grocery store and cinema in walking distance; mouth-watering restaurants and farmer's market; proximity to the Shaker Square RTA station; and financial incentives towards purchasing a home through the Greater Circle Living Program.

The weekend kicks off Friday, September 16th with "Rooftop Revelry Over the Square," a fundraiser that will take place on two Shaker Square condominium rooftops that feature spectacular city and skyline views.

Organizers say they intend to use the funds raised from both events to make an as-yet-to-be-named "legacy gift" to the Larchmere Boulevard enhancement project. This $700,000 improvement project will redevelop the Larchmere streetscape with new lighting, street trees, decorative crosswalks, sidewalks and other amenities.

Tickets to the Neighborhoods of Shaker Square Home Tour cost $15 if purchased online beforehand or $20 on the day of the event. The tour begins at Sergio's Sarava on Shaker Square. Tickets to "Rooftop Revelry" cost $75 and include home tour admission.


Source: Katharyne Starinsky
Writer: Lee Chilcote

Congresswoman Marcia L. Fudge hosted a For the People job fair and town hall meeting at Cleveland State University on Monday, August 8 to help combat Ohio's rising unemployment rate. The job fair featured nearly 100 employers were on hand, offering more than 1,200 jobs in healthcare, banking, sales, retail, hospitality, education, manufacturing, nonprofits, and government affairs. Thousands of eager job seekers showed up at the event.

"By hosting a job fair, I want to do my part to connect people in our community who are ready to work with employers who are ready to hire," said Congresswoman Fudge.

The day-long job fair included job readiness workshops and technical assistance seminars including resume writing, interview skills and salary negotiations. Cleveland was the first stop on a five-city For the People Jobs Initiative sponsored by the Congressional Black Caucus. The fair was followed by a town meeting at which Fudge asked for input from residents and organizations in Northeast Ohio about how to solve the nation's unemployment crisis.

The fair was followed by a town hall meeting. Nine members of the caucus joined Fudge to discuss the initiative.


Source: Marcia L. Fudge
Writer: Karin Connell

With months-long waiting lists for many downtown apartments, it's clear that Cleveland is attracting plenty of new residents. But some aren't "new" at all. Boomerangs, native Clevelanders who've left and returned, claim a host of reasons for their homecoming. What they often find upon arrival is a city far different from the one they left behind.

It's been several years since I relocated from Florida to Cleveland. And truth is, I was hesitant to claim myself a queer in the Midwest, especially in Ohio, which earned a reputation for its lack of acceptance. What I discovered, however, was a gay oasis on the North Coast. Here, I have the option of frequenting the large variety of LGBT-owned businesses exclusively -- but I don't have to. To me, that's the most accurate meaning of the phrase "queer-friendly."

Cleveland Kings and Girls, a six-year-old outfit that performs regularly at Bounce Nightclub, features an eclectic troupe of performers that includes drag kings, drag queens, trans kings and bio-boys and girls. Fresh Water photographer Bob Perkoski takes us on a risk-free sneak peek. Consider your two-drink minimum waived.

The second annual Cleveland Asian Festival will be held this weekend, Saturday and Sunday May 21 and 22, at the Asia Plaza shopping center and on surrounding streets. The festival is a celebration of the culture, diversity, and people who live, work and play in the AsiaTown neighborhood. The event will build upon its remarkable success last year, when over 10,000 attendees showed up at the first-ever event.

It's the Chinese year of the rabbit and the St. Clair Superior Development Corporation is celebrating by displaying 24 fiberglass bunny sculptures, painted and decorated by Northeast Ohio artists. Each sculpture is sponsored by a local business. They are being installed around the neighborhood today.

This is the sixth year the organization has hosted the public art event. The installation celebrates Cleveland's Asian, artistic and business communities in the St. Clair-Superior neighborhood.

"St. Clair-Superior has one of the highest Asian populations in Northeast Ohio," says project coordinator Becca Britton. "We have a blossoming arts district here and we also have a thriving business community. The community really appreciates it and celebrates it."

The public has come to embrace the sculptures, which began with the year of the dog. In early years there was a lot of vandalism and theft, Britton says, which has diminished over the years. "Everyone leaves them alone," she says. "They really appreciate them."

More than 90 artists submitted designs this year. A panel of three professional artists chose their favorites, which were then put into a portfolio for companies to choose from. Winning artists receive a $400 stipend and two tickets to a gala event.

This year's favorites include a rabbit exploding with butterflies and another blowing bubbles on roller skates. "Every year the artists are getting more creative," says Britton.

The rabbits will be on display through Labor Day. They will then be auctioned off, with proceeds going to next year's project.


Source: Becca Britton
Writer: Karin Connelly

Tucked between University Circle and Cleveland Heights, Little Italy is one of Cleveland's most charming and historic neighborhoods. Aluminum-sided doubles nestle against modern pastel-colored townhomes, while art galleries and Italian restaurants dot Mayfield and Murray Hill roads.

Although Italians no longer are the neighborhood's predominant ethnic group, much of the real estate is still owned by the Italian families that settled here nearly a century ago. Popular with Case Western Reserve University students and hospital employees, the area's mix of residents now reflects the diversity of University Circle.

Yet while today's Little Italy may have "just as many Chinese as Italians," says Ray Kristosik, Executive Director of the Little Italy Redevelopment Corporation, a new wave of immigrants is arriving on these shores, and they're less likely to come from Sicily than Mayfield Heights and Solon.

"Empty-nesters are beginning to move back to the area, including Italian-Americans that have family roots in the neighborhood," he says. "People love its proximity to University Circle, and the fact that while we have development, parts of the Little Italy look just like they did 80 years ago."

The influx of empty-nesters has been facilitated in part by the development of new and rehabilitated housing. Townhome projects such as Villa Carabelli, Random Road Lofts and 27 Coltman have provided contemporary, upscale housing choices for professionals seeking a low-maintenance lifestyle.

Although Kristosik says that it's important to ensure that that the area's historic housing is preserved, he believes that the new development taking place is contributing to the area's revitalization by attracting people to move back to the urban core.

In fact, Kristosik is looking forward to the day his own kids head off to college. "I can't wait for them to grow up so I can move back to the neighborhood," he says.


Source: Ray Kristosik
Writer: Lee Chilcote

When Murray Hill Market opened in Little Italy in January, owner Michelle Iacobelli Buckholtz revived the tradition of the small neighborhood market that existed when her father grew up in the area.

This summer, Buckholtz will bring back another grand neighborhood tradition: the sidewalk cafe and alfresco market. Having obtained her peddler's license, she plans to add outdoor seating and sales displays this summer.

"We want to be different from Whole Foods and other grocery stores, and one way to do that is to offer a unique experience and personal service," says Buckholtz.

Buckholtz says that Murray Hill Market, which offers fresh fruits and vegetables as well as gourmet prepared foods, has been successful at reaching a wide audience, including students living in the neighborhood, older Italian families seeking to reconnect with their roots, University Circle employees and East Siders who work downtown. "People stop to pick up dinner on their way home," she says.

Buckholtz was inspired to create the market after a trip to New York to visit her son in college. After she observed the mouth-watering, fresh fare at every corner store, she decided to create a market in Cleveland. She knew it would work because there are no fresh, high-quality grocery stores in University Circle, an area that is on track to create 10,000 new jobs between 2005 and 2015.

Yet her international-flavored market, which Buckholtz describes as "Italian with a twist," does not seek to recreate the past. Although Little Italy's restaurant mix remains mostly Italian, the Murray Hill Market offers a contemporary mix of cuisine, including Jewish and French pastries, Middle Eastern dishes, and Puerto Rican rice and beans.

"This area is part of University Circle, and I wanted to create an international market with more than just Italian food," Buckholtz says.

Buckholtz regularly serves meatball subs with her mother's sauce, yet finds the older Italian women that shop here are often the toughest critics. "Everyone's mother makes the best sauce," she says with a laugh.


Source: Michelle Iacobelli Buckholtz
Writer: Lee Chilcote

Since its launch in 2000, the Greater Cleveland Sports Commission has brought to Cleveland over 85 sporting events with an estimated economic impact of more than $300 million. Those events include the U.S. Figure Skating Championships, Senior PGA Championship, NCAA Women's Final Four, and the Gravity Games. This summer, the Commission's flagship event, the Continental Cup, will bring in 4,000 young athletes from 25 countries for four days of competition.

Joyce Mariani created "Opera in the Garden," a free outdoor concert that takes place each summer in Rockefeller Park's Italian Cultural Garden, to celebrate Italian immigrants' contributions to the city of Cleveland and enliven the 80-year-old public space.

Although Mariani sets up 200 chairs in the idyllic garden, you might want to bring one from home; last year, over 800 people showed up.

"People find something universal in the Italian cultural experience," says Mariani, Executive Director of the Italian Cultural Gardens Foundation. "And this is an outdoor museum to Italian culture in Cleveland."

Mariani has launched an ambitious effort to expand the garden according to original, unfinished plans. Now that she has raised more than $465,000 towards the $750,000 fund-raising goal, work has begun on a large statue of Dante and a dedication is planned for the fall. Future plans call for filling an empty quadrant of the garden with a small pantheon, as well.

"It just goes to show that if you believe in something, people will tap into your dream," Mariani says.

The Italian Cultural Garden was founded in 1930 by Italian-American businessman Philip Garbo. Its prominent features include a column from the Roman Forum and a bust of Virgil that was sent by the Italian government. Garbo's company, the Italian Fresco and Decorating Company, designed and painted decorative art and frescoes in residences, churches and over 100 theaters, including the Ohio Theatre. The design of the upper garden is taken from the Villa Medici in Rome.

This year's Opera in the Garden will take place on Sunday, July 31st at 6 p.m. in the Italian Cultural Garden (990 East Boulevard).

Source: Joyce Mariani
Writer: Lee Chilcote

When the Moreland Theatre was built in 1927, the Buckeye neighborhood was home to the largest concentration of Hungarians outside Hungary. There were also six Hungarian newspapers in the area, and nearly every shop owner on Buckeye Road spoke Hungarian (and often English, too).

In the past 40 years, Buckeye has struggled as businesses and residents fled to the suburbs. The recent foreclosure crisis also hit the area hard, leaving boarded-up homes and vacant lots in its wake.

Yet today, this multicultural community just south of Shaker Square is showing signs of renewal in the new Harvey-Rice Elementary School, the popular Soul of Buckeye jazz festival, and the long-planned redevelopment of the former Saint Luke's Hospital building into low-income senior housing.

Still, the Moreland Theatre, a 1,300-seat Vaudeville theater that features an orchestra pit and flyloft, remains empty. It's not the only one -- the North Collinwood and Cudell neighborhoods also feature historic theaters. Most of them haven't been as lucky as the recently restored Capitol Theatre in Cleveland's Detroit-Shoreway neighborhood, which is now home to a three-screen indie movie house.

You don't have to wait for the Moreland Theatre to reopen, however, to check out this architectural gem. The Buckeye Area Development Corporation (BADC) is hosting the Buckeye Antique Furnishings Sale on Saturday, April 30th from 1-5 p.m. Bargain hunters, antique hounds and the merely curious can sift through theater seats, church pews and organs, a film projector, catering and kitchen equipment and art deco architectural details. A smorgasbord of items will be on sale, with prices starting at $1.

"This is the first time that we've opened the theater to the public -- it's part of our efforts to engage the community in creating a vision for the Buckeye Cultural Center," says Deepa Vedavyas, BADC's Associate Director for Development. "People can stop by and pick up a piece of history, and all of the funds raised will go towards the restoration of the building."

BADC purchased the Moreland Theatre in 2007 with plans to convert it into a mixed-use arts complex, including a multi-purpose theater for concerts, plays, special events, affordable apartments for artists, and four new storefronts. Total renovation costs are estimated at $6.1 million. BADC was recently awarded a $100,000 grant from the Ohio Facilities Commission, and has also applied for a historic designation for the building. The nonprofit is launching a fundraising campaign for the redevelopment effort.


Source: Deepa Vedavyas
Writer: Lee Chilcote